Generally described, user computing devices may facilitate the playback or display of items of content, such as audio books, electronic books, songs, videos, television programs, computer and video games, multi-media content, and the like. For example, an electronic audio player may play an audio book through speakers or headphones.
In some instances, a user may be interested in consuming multiple items of content at the same time. For example, a user may wish to read a physical book while listening to an audio book of the same title, such as A Christmas Carol. The physical book and the audio book (or more generally, any group of two or more items of content related to the same content title) may be referred to as “companion” or “corresponding” items of content.
However, in many current approaches, the user must manually line up the two companion items of content so that the words narrated in the audio book correspond to what the user is reading in the physical book. For example, the user may find it necessary to pause the audio book manually during portions of the physical book that have no counterpart in the audio book. Likewise, the user may find it necessary to manually fast-forward the audio book during portions of the audio book that have no counterpart in the physical book. Additionally, the user may find it necessary to search through the physical book to find the portion of the text that is currently being narrated in the audio book. This scheme may prove frustrating and inconvenient for users.